The Derry City and Strabane councillor said the decision was to be welcomed. "McDonald's are the latest company to opt out of using some single-use plastic products which can take hundreds of years to decompose if not recycled properly," she said.

"They have committed to ditching plastic straws for paper ones and will roll this out in all UK and Ireland restaurants from September this year.

"McDonald's claim to use 1.8m straws daily in the UK alone and it is encouraging to hear that they listen to the concerns of not only environmental lobbyists, but to their customers too.

"As the majority of McDonald's customers are children, it is heartening that the drive to eradicate single-use plastics is being driven by our children whose futures we are trying to protect.

"I would hope that equal commitment by McDonald's UK would spread to its chain worldwide."